Tainan, China, Taiwan

Tainan is a university town, and as such it has a student atmosphere that makes it young and vibrant and there are shops, bars, restaurants, and chic cafes all over the city. In addition to this there are temples dotted around the region which are worth exploring. Perhaps the most surprising is the presence of a former Dutch fort, which will explain some of the history of the Dutch in Taiwan

Temples

Tainan is loaded with temples, many of which are grouped together in the same area so it can be nice to go on your own walking tour to explore them. Each temple has its own colourful character and is dedicated to a different god or gods. Hence if you’ll walk by yourself, you’ll be able to decide for yourself which temples appeal to you and only check out the ones that you like. Walking through Tainan and watching the beautiful temples is not only worth the sights, but will also allow you to get to know the city a bit more.

Fort Zeelandia

It may sound unlikely but this area was actually occupied by the Dutch for over thirty years and it was the Dutch East India Company who built Fort Zeelandia or Fort Anping as it is now known. The Dutch occupied Tainan in the 17th century and the fort was built with original red bricks that are still preserved today. The fort makes a nice trip in itself and there is also a museum that is interesting if you want to know more about the history of this period. Either on your way to or from the fort you can walk through the neighboring Anping district which is designated as a cultural zone in Tainan and will give you a glimpse of the historic side of life in this city.

Tainan Flower Night Market

If you are looking for something to do at night in Tainan then head to its largest and most famous night market, Tainan Flower Night Market. The market is open three days a week on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, so if you happen to be here on these days then it is definitely worth a look if only for the street food that is sold here and includes local fare like spicy duck blood and candied guava.

Our thoughts

If you like ancient monuments and temples then Tainan will definitely appeal to you. This former capital of Taiwan has lots of points of interest and the fact that it lies on the southwest coast means that it has a stay sea atmosphere that makes it feel relaxed and slightly distanced from the rest of Taiwan.

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